Apps that let you easily jump between Linux and Windows

As you might imagine, I got letters. Readers demanded to know why I didn't discuss Linux and how easy it is to switch between Linux and Windows. So that's what I'm doing here. While there aren't absolute brand-for-brand equivalents for about 30 percent of the applications, there are workable substitute solutions.

In the following slides, I'll show you the applications that are an exact match on both Windows and Linux (and, by extension, MacOS), and highlight those where you'll need to use a different application to get the same work done.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: GraphicStock

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Spotify

There once was a time when we bought CDs or even tapes. But now, all you need is a subscription to have access to most of the world's most popular music.

As unexpected as it might be, there's a version of Spotify for Linux. The folks at Spotify say they're running it themselves, but it's unsupported.

Hey, if you're running Linux, you can do your own darn support, right?

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Spotify

Caption by: David Gewirtz

YakYak (instead of Hangouts)

Surprisingly, given how well Chrome runs, Google Hangouts is not supported on Linux.

However, there's a substitute in YakYak, which can send and receive Hangouts message.

A usual caveat applies: Hangouts is a proprietary format, so this solution could be obsoleted at any time.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: YakYak

Caption by: David Gewirtz

GIMP (instead of Photoshop)

Let's be clear: if you're a design professional, there really isn't a substitute for Adobe's Creative Cloud. It's expensive, but worth it.

Unfortunately, Creative Cloud isn't supported on Linux. There are some applications that come close to many of the features of Adobe's flagship Photoshop. The best known is GIMP.

There is some debate over how file-compatible GIMP is with Photoshop. One thing is for sure. You must save PSD files in RGB for them to be read by GIMP. Then, depending on the complexity of the file, you might be able to read it.

Hey, it's free. But if you're doing real work, you may want to run actual Photoshop in a VirtualBox session. It might be a little more sluggish, but you'll get the job done.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: GIMP

Caption by: David Gewirtz

VirtualBox (instead of Parallels)

While Parallels brought very tight Windows integration to the Mac, VirtualBox has been around forever, is free, and is the go-to desktop virtualization solution users on many platforms. You can also run other Linux distros on your main distro using VirtualBox.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Oracle

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Inkscape (instead of Illustrator)

While we're being clear, it's important to note that Inkscape does not open Illustrator's native .ai format.

If you save your files in .eps or .svg, you can move them to Inkscape, where many capabilities needed by illustrators and designers are available.

Like our advice for GIMP, if you need real Illustrator and don't want to set up a Windows or Mac machine, you can run Creative Cloud in a VirtualBox instance.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Inkscape

Caption by: David Gewirtz

LibreOffice (instead of Office 365)

As Linux desktop applications go, LibreOffice is probably the best of the best.

It is a full office suite, with pretty much all the features you'll ever need, available for free and on most platforms.

Do be aware that while LibreOffice does read most Microsoft Office files, some services that ingest PowerPoint files for webcasts will not be able to use LibreOffice exported files.

Otherwise, go to town. LibreOffice is a win. And it's free. Did we mention it's free? It's free.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: LibreOffice

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Auto Text Expander for Chrome (instead of TextExpander)

While TextExpander works everywhere on your Mac or Windows machine, it does not have a version for Linux.

We did find a number of very hacky alternatives that required editing of text files and typing command line commands.

One solution that can be universal across platforms (although it looks like you have to re-isssue your definitions on each machine) is Auto Text Expander for Chrome.

Yes, it only runs in Chrome, but it's a good step in the right direction.

Tinkercad (instead of 123D Design)

There is no one perfect 3D design product, so the fact that 123D Design isn't available on Linux isn't a huge loss.

Tinkercad, which is a very well-respected browser-based design tool is also from Autodesk, so it shares a lot of the UI feel to 123D Design.

Personally, I tend to jump between both depending on what features I want or what mood I'm in.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Autodesk

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Cura 3D printing slicing program

When you prepare a file to go to a 3D printer, you use a program called a slicer. One of the most popular and universal of these is Cura.

This bad boy works quite well on Mac, Windows, and many Linux distros.

One thing about 3D printing is that since the desktop adoption of 3D printing came from the maker community, there is a tremendous amount of Linux support all up and down the chain of implementation.

If you're a Linux fan, 3D printing is a second home.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: LulzBot.com

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Slack

When it comes to team coordination, Slack has taken the business world by storm. What's even better is that Slack works where you work.

Given how many programming teams use Slack to operate, it's unlikely Slack would have seen the success it has without a Linux version.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Slack

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Evernote (web version)

Evernote doesn't have a native Linux client, but the company has been improving their Web-based application quite measurably.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Evernote

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Feedly

Feedly is another web-based application that translates beautifully to Linux. Google Reader was once the leader in the category of RSS readers, but once Google pulled the product, Feedly became the choice of news junkies everywhere. If you want to stay informed, no matter what platform you use, Feedly is the way to go.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Feedly

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Google Keep

Google Keep is to Evernote like a Post-It note is to a 3-ring notebook. The great news is you can write lots of quick notes in Keep and, well, keep them, no matter what platform you're on.

It, too, is a web-based application that just works.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Google

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Pocket

If you want to keep articles to read later, the best way to do it is using Pocket. Fortunately, you can use Pocket on any platform you want, which means you can save something on a PC, read it later on your Linux machine, a Mac, or almost every mobile OS.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Pocket

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Kindle Cloud Reader

Amazon continues its quest for world domination with nearly universal access to books in the Kindle format.

If you like reading, Kindle books are the way to go. Not only are they available for Kindle devices, but you can read them on most tablets and smartphones, and right in your browser, with Kindle Cloud Reader.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Amazon

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Todoist

Every day, in every way, we have more and more work to do. To keep track of it all is Todoist.

Fortunately, you don't have to keep track of where to use Todoist, because it runs on all the platforms you might need.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Todoist

Caption by: David Gewirtz

PhpStorm and Eclipse

If you're doing serious Web development using PHP, there's no tool better than PhpStorm.

Fortunately, you're not stuck on either the Mac or the PC when using it. You can install and run this powerful IDE on Linux, Mac, and Windows.

For those who want a non-commercial solution, there's also Eclipse. Many commercial tools run on top of Eclipse, but it's free in its basic (which is a lot more than just a simple basic editor) release.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: PhpStorm

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Chrome and Firefox

Web apps have single-handedly liberated us from the oppression of installing and running desktop apps. Sure, we still do, but with Chrome and Firefox, you can have the exact same interface no matter what platform you're running (unless it's a tablet or phone).

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Google

Caption by: David Gewirtz

Gmail

Oh, you didn't think you were getting away from your overflowing inbox that easily, did you? Nope, you gotta read your email, even if you're using Linux.

While there are some fine native email applications on Linux, Gmail is universal and available in your browser.

I know. It would have been nice if you had an excuse. But you don't.

Published: October 4, 2017 -- 11:43 GMT (04:43 PDT)

Photo by: Gmail

Caption by: David Gewirtz

LastPass (instead of 1Password)

While LastPass runs in the browser, and thus is platform independent, 1Password is a native application not supported for Linux.

If you need to navigate regularly between Linux and the Windows world, there are many applications that can make your job easier. We spotlight 21 quality applications that will pave the way.

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Chrome and Firefox

Web apps have single-handedly liberated us from the oppression of installing and running desktop apps. Sure, we still do, but with Chrome and Firefox, you can have the exact same interface no matter what platform you're running (unless it's a tablet or phone).